Momos/Steamed Dumplings -North eastern starter

Momos are made from all purpose flour and usually steamed. They are also pan fried and served with red garlic chutney/sauce. They can be filled with vegetarian stuffing or non vegetarian stuffing and termed as veg or non veg momos. Lets gather ingredients required for it.

Ingredients for Momos dough :

1 Cup All purpose flour/Maida
1 tbsp Oil
Water as required for kneading dough
Salt to taste

Ingredients for Stuffing :

1 Carrot
1 cup Cabbage
1 Capsicum
1 tbsp Garlic paste
Salt to taste
1 tsp Black pepper
1 tsp Soya Sauce
1 tsp Red Chilli Sauce
1 tsp Tomato ketchup
2 tbsp Oil

Ingredients for Red garlic chutney :

3 Medium sized Tomatoes
1 finely chopped Onion
1 tbsp Chopped Garlic
2 Chopped Green Chilli
1 Tsp Soya Sauce
2 tsp Tomato ketchup
1 tsp Red chilli Sauce
1/2 tsp Red chilli powder
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
Salt to taste


Method : Mix all the ingredients of dough together and knead stiff dough. Cover it with damp cloth and set aside for 1 hour. For  stuffing take oil in pan, heat it add garlic paste and saute till raw smell goes away. Finely chop all the vegetables with help of food processor or manually and add to pan and saute for 3-4 mins. Add all the spices and sauces and mix well and switch off flame. Let it cool down completely before filling in momos.

After one hour take dough and divide it into small balls and roll it into small circular chapati form by applying little oil on rolling board to avoid sticking. Rolled chapati should be little thick from middle and thin from outer area. Now put 1-2 tbsp stuffing inside each dumpling and apply water at sides, bring the side together in centre by pinching firmly together to form dumpling. Remember to cover the dough and prepared dumpling with damp cloth.

Now in a steamer heat water and place dumplings on steamer plates and steam for 10-15 mins till they are done at medium flame. Usually it takes 15 mins maximum. Take them out and serve with red garlic chutney.

For Chutney, blend the tomatoes in a mixer and now heat oil in pan saute chopped garlic than add finely chopped onions, green chilli and cook till onions become transparent in color, add blended tomatoes and saute till whole chutney becomes dry a bit. Add all the spices and sauces and mix well, cook for 1-2 mins till it is of chutney consistency. Add little water if your chutney is bit dry. Switch off flame and cool it.

Serve hot dumplings with red chilli chutney. If you want fried version than roast dumplings with this chutney in pan for 2-3 mins they are done.

Langar wala Prasad

Langar wala Prasad includes Maa cholley ki dal with Tandoori Roti and Karah Prasad which is Atta ka halwa .Yesterday on the occasion of Gurpurab i was missing langar prasad so tried cooking it at home. Although i was not able to match the taste of prasad offered in Gurudwaras but still it was somewhat near to it in taste.

Langar wali dal is simple and comforting food that can be added in everyday meal and can be eaten with jeera rice or tandoori or tawa roti. It consists of split black /urad dal with skin and bengal gram/channa dal.

Ingredients  for Langar wali dal :

1/2 cup Split Black/Urad dal
1/4 cup Bengal gram/ Channa Dal
1/2 tsp Hing/Asafoetida
1 tsp Turmeric Powder
Salt to taste
1 Moti elaichi/ Black Cardamom
1-2 sticks of Dalchinii/Cinnamon sticks
5-6 cups of Water for boiling dal

For tadka/Tempering :

 2-3 medium sized tomatoes chopped
1-2 green chillies chopped
1-2 tbsp grated ginger
1 tbsp Cumin seeds
1 tbsp roasted cumin powder
1/2 tbsp Red chilli powder
1 tbsp Coriander powder
 2-3 tbsp Clarified butter/Desi ghee

Method : Wash both the dal 2-3 times and soak in above mentioned amount of water for 3-4 hours and if u forgot to soak them than soaking in hot water for 15 mins will also work. Transfer them in pressure cooker along with water and add all the spices mentioned above except for tadka. Pressure cook it on high flame till first whistle comes than lower flame to minimum and cook for 15-20 mins till it is mushy in texture. If u r not having pressure cooker u need to cook it in heavy bottomed pan for about 1 hour.

Now take ghee in another pan and heat it add cumin seeds once it starts crackling add grated ginger and green chillies and lower the flame. After 1-2 mins add chopped tomatoes, saute for 4-5 mins till tadka leaves ghee at sides now add spices and mix well. Switch off flame. Pour tadka over boiled dal and give nice stir, if ur dal is thick in consistency add water and boil for 3-4 mins otherwise just give one boil and its ready to eat. Simple and tasty dal without onion garlic and any garnishing like offered in Gurudwaras.

Ingredients for  Tandoori Roti

2 Cups Whole wheat flour
1 Cup Water or as required
Desi Ghee/Clarified butter for applying on rotis

Method : Knead atta for chapatis like we do for normal rotis  and let it rest for 10-15 mins. Now take heavy bottom pan or pressure cooker without lid and keep it in inverted position on medium flame to heat. Roll chapati with rolling pin keep it little thick and apply water on one side, now stick it to hot cooker's side by placing water applied side in contact with cooker and invert it on gas let it cook for 1-2 mins , turn it out u will see patches of black marks like we get in tandoor now take out chapati
from cooker with help of spatula and cook other side on direct flame and serve hot by applying ghee. Cook all chapatis in same manner.

Ingredients for Karah Prasad/ Atta ka Halwa :

1 Cup Whole wheat flour/Atta
1 Cup Melted desi ghee/Clarified butter
1 Cup Sugar
3  + 1/2 cup Water

Method : Take ghee in heavy bottom karahi/wok and heat it, add atta to it start stirring continuously and keep flame at medium low and roast the atta till it becomes reddish brown in color ,u need to stir it continuously to avoid burning of flour . Keep an eye on it as its crucial stage when atta turns reddish brown in color immediately lower the flame to minimum and start adding water slowly slowly by mixing it from another hand. Once water is added increase flame to medium low and let it cook till water evaporates from halwa. Add this stage add sugar and mix well , cook for another 2-3 mins till halwa leaves ghee at sides. Switch off flame and serve.

Points to remember :

 Always take equal amount of flour, ghee and sugar for this halwa and water 3 +1/2 times.
To achieve best taste even roasting of flour is required.
Never reduce the amount of ghee otherwise halwa sticks to bottom of wok and it will get burnt spoiling all material and your effort.
Add more ghee if u think it may sticks to bottom.
Never cook halwa on high flame.

Hope you guys will enjoy langar wala prasad at home like us :)

Eggless Vanilla Sponge Cake with Chocolate butter cream frosting

Happiness is baking a cake on your own birthday. This cake is close to me as it was first time baked by me on my birthday and loved by everyone whosoever tasted it. Its simple eggless vanilla sponge cake which can be used as basic cake for any cake baking. I had done chocolate frosting on it and topped it with white chocolate chips.

Ingredients :

1 Cup All purpose flour/Maida
4 tbsp Cornflour/Corn starch
1 tsp Baking powder
1/4 cup Thick Curd
3/4 cup Powdered Sugar
1/4 cup Milk
2 tsp Vanilla Essence
1/2 cup Butter ( i used Amul butter at room temp)

For chocolate buttercream frosting:

1/2 cup Butter ( at room temp, i used Amul butter)
2 + 1/2 cup Icing Sugar
4-5 tbsp Cocoa Powder
1 tsp Vanilla essence
1 pinch Salt
2-3 tbsp Milk
1/2 cup White chocolate chips for topping

Method : First of all sieve all the dry ingredients 2-3 times including all purpose flour, cornflour and baking powder. Take another bowl and beat the butter till its light and fluffy add powdered sugar in it and mix well. Add thick curd, milk and vanilla essence and mix well. Don't worry if mixture curdles on adding milk .
Now fold the wet ingredients with dry by adding flour mixture in 2-3 batches and folding them with help of spatula .
Grease 8 or 8.5 inch baking cake tin and transfer cake batter to it. Pre heat microwave at convection mode at 180 degree for 10 mins and place baking cake tin at lower wire rack in preheated microwave at convention mode at 180 degree for about 35-40 mins.
Check the cake by toothpick test if it comes clean its done otherwise bake for few more mins.
After it is done take it out and let it cool down completely before frosting.

For frosting take butter in mixing bowl and beat it with hand whisker or blender till its light and creamy, start adding icing sugar say about 1/2 cup each time and whisk it to avoid lump formation. After addition  of all icing sugar add salt, vanilla essence , cocoa powder and milk to it and whisk it again properly .

Apply it on ur cake and decorate it with white chocolate chips. If frosting is thick to spread add more milk and if it is thin than add more icing sugar.
This frosting can be stored in refrigerator in air tight container upto two weeks.

Enjoy yummy cake :)

Baked Veggie Toasts - Snacking

Baked Veggie Toasts are quick and easy snack item that can be served at any time of day to family and guests. They are loaded with all sorts of vegetables and cheese too. These can be eaten in lunch and dinner accompanied with bowl of soup. You can hide lot of healthy veggies in it for kids and top it with cheese. Lets gather ingredients required for it.


Ingredients :

1/4 cup chopped green capsicum
1/4 cup partially boiled sweet corns
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/8 cup jalepones
1/8 cup chopped black olives
Salt to taste
1-2 tbsp Oregano flakes
3-4 tbsp tomato ketchup
1-2 tbsp oil for greasing baking tray
1/2 cup grated cheese ( i used processed cheese)
4-5 slices of White bread

Method : Diagonally cut each bread slice in two pieces to get two triangle shape from each slice. Pre heat the microwave at convention mode at 200 degree for 10 mins . Place the cut bread slices on baking tray and keep on higher wire rack for 3-4 mins at 200 degree to toast them a bit. Don't over toast them as they are to be baked again with veggies too.

Take them out apply generous amount of tomato ketchup on each slice or u can use pizza sauce too and keep them aside. Now mix all the vegetables, spices and grated cheese together.
Add 1-2 tbsp of this mixture on each bread slice and top them with more grated cheese. Grease the baking tray with some oil and arrange these bread slices on it. Bake them for 8-10 mins at 200 degree at convection mode of microwave or till the bread is crunchy from bottom and cheese melts on top. Mine took complete 10 mins.

Take them out and serve hot with your choice of tea/coffee/soup etc.

Methi Mathri/Fengureek Mathri

Mathri is another kind of namkeen that can

 be eaten as snack with tea or coffee or with pickles too.They are deep fried and made from different types of flour like whole wheat flour or all purpose flour and can be made in different shapes like round, tikoni etc.

Here we are giving twist to them by adding dry methi powder to provide crunchy and different flavour.

Ingredients :

1 Cup Whole wheat flour/Atta
1/2 Cup All purpose flour/Maida
1 tsp Ajwain/Carom seeds
1 tsp Jeera/Cumin seeds
1 tsp Dry methi leaves powder
Salt to taste
Water as required
Oil for deep frying

Method : Knead dough by mixing all the above mentioned ingredients using normal water.Dough should be little tight and hard .Keep them aside for 10 mins. Now roll them in desired shape round or tikoni etc and fry them in hot oil at low flame till it is golden brown in color from both sides.

Keep them on kitchen towel to remove excess oil and serve them.

Namakpare

Namakpare is kind of namkeen or snack item that can be eaten as such or with tea or coffee. It can be made from whole wheat flour or all purpose flour or semolina etc.

Ingredients :

1 cup All purpose flour/maida
1/3 cup Whole wheat flour/atta
Salt per taste
2 tbsp Oil
1 tsp Ajwain/Carom seeds
Water as required
Oil for deep frying

Method : Mix all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl and knead dough using water.Dough should be neither too tight nor too soft. Keep them aside for 10 mins and than take a big size ball from dough and roll it into chapati forms slightly thicker than chapati and cut into desired shape.

You can use cookie cutter too for flower or heart shape to give different shapes,  i preferred diagonal cutting of them.Now heat oil in wok and deep fry them on medium low flame from both sides till they r golden brown in color. Take them out on kitchen towel to remove excessive oil.
Fry all of them in same manner and after cooling down keep them in air tight container and enjoy..

Gulgule/Meethe pakode

Gulgule are known as indian mini donuts or meethe pakode too.These are made from whole wheat flour or all purpose flour and sweetened using sugar or gur/jaggery.One of the simplest and easy recipe to cook from ingredients available in everyone's kitchen.

Ingredients :

1 cup Whole wheat flour/Atta

1/2 -3/4 cup Gur/jaggery

Water as required

1 tbsp Fennel seeds/saunf

Oil for deep frying

Method : Initially dissolve gur in luke warm water , use that amount of water as required for dissolving gur. Now mix the mixture with atta and fennel seeds and prepare batter consistency like we require for pakodas..add more water if required or if ur batter is too thin add more flour.Keep it aside for 1-2 hrs at room temp it helps in fluffy and soft gulgule.

Take oil for deep frying in wok and heat it and pour the batter with ur hands like we fry pakodas and keep flame at medium low, fry from both sides till they are golden brown in color.Fry all the gulgule in same manner and keep them on kitchen towel to remove excessive oil.

Serve them as such ,we used to make them during festive season.

Taste the batter to check sweetness required by u and if by any chance your batter spreads away in oil it means u need to add more flour.